Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that a victory for George W. Bush in the U.S. presidential race would mean the United States had not allowed itself to be cowed by terrorists, the Interfax news agency reports.
“If Bush wins, then I can only feel joy that the American people did not allow itself to be intimidated, and made the most sensible decision,” Interfax quoted Putin as saying.
Two weeks ahead of the election date Putin openly voiced his support of George W. Bush by saying that armed attacks in Iraq were staged by “international terrorism” out to block Bush’s re-election.
“The attacks of international terrorism in Iraq are directed not only at international coalition forces but at President Bush personally. International terrorism has given itself the goal of causing maximum damage to Bush in the election battle, the goal of blocking the re-election of Bush for a second presidential term,” Putin told a news conference.
Last June, Putin made clear for the first time he would like to see Bush back in the White House, accusing the Democrats of hypocrisy for attacking the U.S. leader on Iraq, saying the Clinton administration had been responsible for the 1999 air attacks on Yugoslavia.